From the Research
MRSA Swab Sensitivity in Lung Transplant Patients
- The sensitivity of MRSA swabs in lung transplant patients is not directly addressed in the provided studies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
- However, a study on MRSA nares colonization among transplant recipients found that MRSA nares screening has a high negative predictive value (NPV) for ruling out MRSA infections within 28 days 5.
- The NPV of MRSA nares screening was 97.5% in solid organ and hemopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, suggesting that a negative MRSA swab result can be reliable in excluding MRSA infections in lung transplant patients 5.
- Another study found that patients with MRSA cultured from the nares or respiratory tract at the time of transplant were at an increased risk for MRSA infection 2.
- The use of aerosolized vancomycin has been reported as a successful treatment for MRSA infection after lung transplantation 4.
Comparison of MRSA and MSSA Infections
- A study comparing MRSA and MSSA infections in lung transplant recipients found that MSSA infections were more common, but MRSA infections were associated with increased risk of infection and mortality 2.
- Another study found that MRSA infections resulted in significant disease and morbidity, despite negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the virulence factor Panton-Valentine leukocidin 3.
- The epidemiology and clinical outcomes of MSSA infections in lung transplant recipients have been studied, with findings suggesting that MSSA eradication at 2-week post-transplant is high and associated with low rates of infectious complications 1.